The ripe oil palm fruit bunch (Elaeis guineensis) used in the extraction of palm oil boasts a rich mix of deep colours (maroon, red, orange and yellow) which are indicative of an abundance of phenolics, carotenes and related phytochemicals. Indeed, palm carotenes (rich in α- and β-carotenes) and palm vitamin E enriched in tocotrienols reside in the mesocarp and are recovered from extracted crude palm oil. These products are currently available commercially.
The extraction of oil from the palm fruit results in a large aqueous stream of vegetation liquor which is currently under-utilized. This aqueous stream accounts for twice the tonnage of crude palm oil production.
In contrast to lipid-soluble compounds present in the oil phase, the aqueous stream of vegetation liquor that originates in the milling process and extraction of oil has been identified as a rich source of water soluble phenolic compounds. It has been found that the water soluble phytochemicals rich in phenolics, are extracted into the sterilizer condensate and other aqueous streams of the milling process. The use of high temperatures for the sterilisation of palm fruit bunch also inactivates the polyphenol-oxidases and preserves the phenolics.
U.S. Pat. No. 7,387,802 discloses a method for extracting a water soluble fraction using centrifuging and membrane filtration to exclude oleaginous, water insoluble and colloidal components as well as components above 41000 daltons molecular weight. This extract was identified as being rich in antioxidant phytochemicals such as phenolics and hydroxy acids. It was suggested that the extract could be used as edible products, drinks, tonics, health supplements, antioxidants and in medicinal preparations but no details of these uses are given.
It is an object of this invention to find specific uses for this product.